Admire incredible coastal scenery, feed the adorable rabbits, and explore the island’s wartime legacy.
Japan has almost 7,000 islands, but an enormous colony of rabbits inhabits only one. Okunoshima, also known as Rabbit Island or Usagi Shima, is situated in the eastern part of Hiroshima prefecture. Accessible via a quick 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland, this tiny tourist destination has become recognized around the globe for its fascinating bunny population.
With around a thousand rabbits calling the island home, the lack of predators means their numbers have skyrocketed over recent decades. Now whenever people arrive on the shore, a flurry of bunnies are there to welcome them onto the island – and badger them for any vegetables they might have in their pockets.
Today, rabbits inhabit every part of Okunoshima, with the island’s small 4.3-kilometer circumference adorned by beaches, forests, and fields. While this fascinating bunny island is sparsely populated by humans, its charming vacation village offers a hotel, a restaurant, and even natural hot springs, meaning there’s much more to do than just feed the rabbits.
To help you plan your visit to Okunoshima, we’ve delved into the island’s storied history – including its dark World War II legacy – while exploring the rewarding tourist attractions you can encounter during your stay. Before you book your journey with JAL, get to know Rabbit Island and its unique experiences.
INDEX
How Okunoshima earned its ‘Rabbit Island’ nickname
Getting to know the island’s Okunoshima’s rabbits
The best things to do on Rabbit Island
A growing population of rabbits might now inhabit Okunoshima, but they didn't always live on the island. So how did they get there? Two narratives with vastly different origins have emerged to explain their inexplicable presence. The first involves Okunoshima’s chemical weapons plants, created in secret by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1929.
As the story goes, the rabbits arrived on the island as test subjects, only to escape when the plants were decommissioned at the end of WWII. However, Yamauchi Masayuki of the Poisonous Gas Island History Research Institute has debunked this theory, with the likely explanation having a far more palatable source.
After Okunoshima opened to tourists in 1963, Hirofumi Nishiyoshi worked as the island's first hotel manager. After deciding to give the island a mascot to promote it as a holiday destination, he invited a group of school children to release eight rabbits into the wilderness in 1971. Now decades later, the population has continued to grow as more and more tourists have visited this beautiful coastal escape.
A rabbit was an appropriate choice for the island's mascot, as these lovable creatures regularly appear throughout Japanese folk stories. Representing progress, fertility, intelligence, and good fortune, it’s common to find rabbit symbols adorning family celebrations and cultural events across the country.
If you decide to visit Rabbit Island, there’s no getting away from its endearing bunny population. However, when they come in for a closer look, there are a few things to know to ensure both people and animals have the best experience.
It’s certainly tempting to pick up a rabbit for a quick cuddle, but visitors are asked not to hold or chase the rabbits when they visit Okunoshima. As rabbits can get easily stressed, they can become aggressive if you grasp onto them while you might drop them from your arms.
While feeding the rabbits is allowed, make sure you bring along the right food. Fresh carrots and leafy greens are ideal but stay away from lettuce and cabbage, as these can damage a rabbit’s digestive system. You’re also asked not to feed rabbits on roads as they often ignore traffic.
Considering the size of the island, renting a bicycle is one of the best ways to experience the landscape. However, look out for rabbits as you pedal the roads, as they can quickly bound into your path. If you bring a car on the ferry, check for rabbits underneath before driving away.
Rabbit Island has welcomed tourists for decades, but it’s soared in popularity in recent years thanks to viral videos reaching travelers around the globe. While the cute rabbit population remains the main attraction, a selection of adventures and activities helps fill your itinerary. Below, we highlight some of the very best.
Rabbit Island’s remote beauty makes it an incredible destination to explore on two wheels. With highly accessible bike paths stretching around the island’s entire circumference, it’s easy to soak up Okunoshima’s verdant coastal landscapes. Along the way, you’ll meet and greet dozens of curious bunnies.
So, where can you get a bike? If you’re visiting for the day from the mainland, you’re welcome to bring a bicycle on the ferry. However, it’s even easier to rent a reliable bike from the island’s only hotel, Kyukamura Ohkunoshima. With plenty of rides to choose from, set off to explore the island at your own pace.
• Address: 5476-4 Tadanoumicho, Takehara, Hiroshima 729-2311
• Operating Hours: Daily from 9 AM to 4 PM
• Contact Details: +81-08-426-0321
Opened in 1988, the Okunoshima Island Poison Gas Museum details the island’s grizzly history. Featuring exhibits on the island’s chemical weapons plants, you’ll learn how the Japanese Imperial Army produced mustard gas, tear gas, and other troubling arms on the island in secrecy.
Set inside a former WWII lab, you’ll get an up-close look at the workers' hazardous rubber suits and gas masks while devastating images reveal the poison’s impact on the human body. With Hiroshima recognized as a hub for world peace, Okunoshima’s dark past highlights the need to support this message.
• Address: 5491 Tadanoumicho, Takehara, Hiroshima 729-2311
• Operating Hours: Daily from 9 AM to 4 PM
The Poison Gas Museum is perhaps the most well-known landmark on the island, but Okunoshima also features several other abandoned structures dating to WWII and beyond. Set close to the east coast, the Power Plant Ruins provide insight into the infrastructure built to support the chemical weapons depots.
There are also military installations dating from the Russo-Japanese war in 1902 to admire along the island's northern tip. Here, the Northern Cannon Battery Remnants would have held eight large cannons, although these have long been removed. Alongside remnants of forts and ammunition stores, the lush landscape envelopes a wealth of historic structures.
Like many of Japan’s most scenic destinations, Okunoshima has a wonderfully positioned natural hot spring that allows you to soak up the region’s beauty. Featuring separate areas for men and women in the ‘Okutsu no Yu’ and the ‘Kogutsu no Yu’ bathhouses, these help you rejuvenate your body and mind during a day trip or overnight stay.
With the hot spring waters offering healing qualities for numerous ailments, including muscle soreness, high blood pressure, and fatigue, a soothing bath will have you feeling incredibly fresh in no time. As part of Kyukamura Ohkunoshima hotel, these inviting bathhouses also offer stellar sunset views over the Seto Inland Sea.
• Operating Hours: Daily from 8 AM to 6 PM
• Contact Details: +81-84-626-0321
Getting around Okunoshima on foot is simple, with multiple paved walking trails helping you explore the scenic waterfront and up to the island’s peak. With few people or vehicles to worry about, you can complete the climb to the island’s summit observation deck to catch stunning coastal views.
Along the way, you’re bound to encounter rabbits cutting through the thick wilderness, while you can always cool off with a swim in the pristine waters when you get back to the coast. Just keep an eye out for wild weather, as the island’s inland paths may become unsuitable when heavy winds and rain sweep through.
• Operating Hours: Open 24 Hours
This being Japan, fishing in the island’s stunning waters is a rewarding experience. In fact, the island’s only pre-war inhabitants are said to be three fishing families. With plenty of peaceful spots along the coastline to cast a line, you can head out for the day with your rod to admire the quiet scenery and see what bountiful delights await in the waters.
The hotel and its nearby campsite along the island’s southern edge provide popular fishing spots. However, you’re welcome to wander along Okunoshima’s extremities to discover your own peaceful destination, such as the island’s eastern pier. This expanse of sea connecting Okunoshima to the mainland is renowned for its sand eels and sardines.
Positioned on the island’s southern tip, the Okunoshima Lighthouse provides crucial guidance for ships navigating the treacherous Kurushima Strait. While the original lighthouse was built in 1894 with an oil light to warn vessels away from the island’s edge, it was refurbished with a more modern option in 1992.
Today, the 19th-century lighthouse lives in Shikoku Village in Kagawa Prefecture. However, the current lighthouse still provides a striking landmark on Okunoshima’s rugged fringe, with a scenic walking path leading visitors through the overgrown landscape. Head along to experience the stirring coastal views from this vantage point.
• Operating Hours: Open 24 Hours
Just a short walk from the hotel, Okunoshima Beach offers a breathtaking place to relax during the height of summer. While the shoreline can get rather busy during peak season, finding your own patch of sand is never a problem. Bring a packed lunch from the mainland for an enjoyable picnic in the sun.
The waters surrounding Okunoshima are also perfect for swimming, with endless possibilities for those looking to chill out after a long walk around the island. With facilities like changing rooms, toilets, and showers lining the top of the beach, you’ll have everything you need to spend a few comfortable hours bathing in the warmth.
• Operating Hours: Open 24 Hours
Rabbit Island has plenty to do, but you need to plan your meals carefully, as there’s only a single restaurant for locals and visitors. Although you’re welcome to bring your own food from the mainland when catching the ferry over, heading to Restaurant Usanchu inside the Kyukamura Ohkunoshima hotel ensures you’re presented with a sumptuous feast.
Featuring udon noodle dishes, fresh octopus tempura, and fried oysters, the restaurant also serves flavorful curries and tasty burgers to satisfy even the most intense hunger. Alongside cold drinks and soft serve ice cream, visiting this charming eatery during your trip is essential on a sweltering day.
• Address: 5476-4 Tadanoumicho, Takehara, Hiroshima 729-2311
• Operating Hours: Daily from 7.30 AM to 9 AM, 11.30 AM to 1.30 PM, and 5.30 PM to 8 PM
Set on the island's southeastern edge, the Okunoshima Camping Ground is where adventurous visitors can pitch a tent to enjoy a serene overnight stay. Showcasing superb sea views, this grassy section of the island provides exceptional facilities to make your visit surprisingly comfortable.
Across communal barbecue areas, fire pits, and toilets, the campground also offers rentable tents. The most stylish option even comes with warm carpets, rugs, and a buffet dinner at the hotel included in the price. Alternatively, catch a car ferry to the island and unload your own camping equipment.
Reaching Okunoshima Island from various metropolitan hubs across Japan is relatively straightforward. From Tokyo, you can fly from Narita Airport or Haneda Airport to Hiroshima, then catch a taxi to Tadanoumi Port before boarding the ferry.
Alternatively, you can ride the Tokaido-Sanyo bullet train from Tokyo to Mihara Station, then transfer to the coastal Kure Line to reach Tadanoumi Station. Here, you’ll find the ferry to Okunoshima, which takes 15 minutes to reach its destination.
The journey from Osaka is virtually the same, with travelers taking the Tokaido-Sanyo bullet train from Shin-Osaka Station to Mihara Station. Once again, you’ll ride the Kure Line to Tadanoumi Station before catching a ferry that departs every 30 to 45 minutes.
You won’t find many islands more intriguing than Okunoshima. Featuring a clash of histories where adorable rabbits rummage through landmarks with a dark history, exploring this island and its incredible scenery is bound to leave a lasting impression.
Whether you’re ready to visit from a nearby city or flying into Hiroshima directly from overseas, Japan Airlines’ exceptional service is the best way to explore the country. Consider using the JAL Japan Explorer Pass to discover special airfares for over 30 cities across our complete domestic network.
Learn Hiroshima’s fascinating industrial history and visit the top ‘Made in Hiroshima’ brands, including Mizuho Brush and its celebrated fude brushes.
Relish the ultimate wellness experience at the luxurious Bellavista Spa & Marina Onomichi, featuring Kumano brush facials, spa treatments, and more.
Hiroshima’s enduring message for peace serves as a crucial lesson about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Plan your visit with JAL today.
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